Wish List
by AlyB123
Summary: Written for The 2017 Blacklist Secret Santa gift exchange on Tumblr for my recipient, kirstieam92. When Liz confides in Ressler that one of her long time wish list items has been to visit New York City at Christmastime, Ressler sets out to plan a special weekend for Liz and Agnes. Turns out, he has a wish list too. Keenler!


"What's on your mind, Keen?" Ressler asked as their taxi made its way through Manhattan rush hour traffic to the heliport where the FBI chopper was waiting to transport them back to D.C. They'd spent a long day interviewing witnesses and they were both tired. But Liz seemed unusually preoccupied as she stared out the window of the taxi at the passing buildings.

Liz turned from the window and shook her head as she smiled faintly. "Nothing. It's nothing." He caught her almost inaudible sigh as she turned away again and resumed staring out the window.

He put his hand on her knee and squeezed it lightly. "Come on, I know that look, and it's not nothing. Talk to me. What's going on?"

Liz glanced down at Ressler's hand on her knee and smiled more genuinely. She turned away from the window and curled herself to face him on the seat. "It's silly, really. Nothing important."

"Well, try me," Ressler replied. "Then we'll see if it's silly."

Liz licked her lips and blinked before looking away. "I was just remembering – when I was a little girl, I always dreamed of visiting New York at Christmastime. I must've watched Miracle on 34th Street a hundred times. I was just looking at the decorations on the buildings and realizing it's almost Christmas and remembering that wish. Like I said, it's silly. It was just a childhood fantasy."

"It's not silly at all. You should do it," Ressler replied.

Liz shook her head. "I can't imagine doing it alone."

Ressler caught the catch in her voice as she turned away from him again. Liz had rebuilt her life and had come back to the Task Force stronger than anyone had expected in the years since Tom's death. They'd all gone out of their way to spend more time with her and Agnes outside of work to help ease her loneliness. Ressler had come to look forward to those dinners and outings. They helped his loneliness too, more than he wanted to admit. He hesitated for a moment before he took a deep breath.

"Who says you have to do it alone? I'll go with you," he replied softly.

Liz blinked at him, surprised. Eventually, a slow smile spread across her lips. "You're sweet. Thank you. But – I can't - I don't think I can leave Agnes right now."

"Who said anything about leaving her?" Ressler replied. "I'll take the two of you. Come on, Keen. We can go this weekend. Might be fun to get away. I've never been to New York at Christmastime either."

Liz felt her cheeks flush. She shouldn't have assumed he meant the two of them alone. "You're serious, aren't you?" she managed, despite her embarrassment.

"I am," Ressler replied solemnly.

"But where would we stay? I'm sure everything's booked up by now," Liz exclaimed.

"Why don't you let me worry about that. You just pack your bags, ok? Are we gonna do this?" Ressler grinned as he waited for her answer.

Liz opened her mouth and closed it again. She felt a rush of warmth at how excited Ressler looked.

"Ok, why not?" she replied with a laugh. "It feels like forever since I've done anything spontaneous and fun."

"Well, it's time to change that," Ressler replied. "We're gonna work on that wish list."

* * *

On Thursday, Ressler looked up from his desk to see Samar leaning in the doorway of his office, her arms folded, with a smirk on her face.

Ressler groaned inwardly as he lowered his eyes back to his computer. "What's going on, Navabi?"

"Are you really taking Liz and Agnes to New York for the weekend?" Samar asked, bemused.

Ressler sighed and leaned back in his chair and put his arms behind his head. "Yeah, I am. Liz said she's always wanted to go and see all the Christmas stuff but she didn't want to go alone. So, I offered." He waited for Samar to make a snarky retort but instead, her face softened.

"I think that's lovely," she replied quietly.

"You do?" Ressler asked, surprised.

"I do. And it's about time you two did something together like this."

 _Here we go_ , Ressler thought irritably as he straighted abruptly and resumed staring at his computer screen. "It's not like that," he snapped.

"Maybe not – but why shouldn't it be _like that_?" Samar replied. "It's no secret that you care for her and she for you. You both deserve a second chance at happiness."

Ressler shifted uncomfortably as he felt his cheeks flush. "Aram's got you watching one too many romance movies," he replied stiffly. "Look, I didn't ask Keen to go to New York so I could put a move on her. We're bringing Agnes!"

"I _know_ you didn't," Samar replied with a sigh. "Which is why it's lovely. I'm just saying, it would be lovely if it became something more, too. Don't foreclose the possibility, Ressler. It's been long enough. For both of you." She turned and left the office as Ressler closed his eyes and put his head in his hands.

 _I hope Keen doesn't think that's why…_ he pushed the thought out of his mind. Of course she wouldn't. _She doesn't think of you that way_. He was her partner, and Agnes's Uncle Donnie. He was decent enough company for takeout Thai food and the occasional movie and for fixing all those little things that seem to go wrong around the house. But as close as they'd become, especially in recent months, she'd shown no sign of wanting more from him. _And I'm ok with that._ _Really, I am_ , he repeated to himself.

After a few minutes, Ressler pushed his chair back from the desk with enough force that it banged into the file cabinet behind him. He grabbed his keys and headed for the door. He clearly wasn't going to get any more work done that evening.

* * *

Liz had just finished packing her bag for the weekend when she heard a knock at the front door of her apartment. She glanced at the clock. It was late for visitors. She approached the door warily, her right hand hovering over her gun.

"Elizabeth, it's me," Reddington's familiar voice announced from the other side of the door. With a sigh, Liz opened the door and stood back to let him enter the apartment.

"I'm sorry to bother you so late," Reddington apologized. "But Dembe and I just got back from London and when I spoke to Aram, he indicated that you were heading out of town tomorrow for the weekend."

 _Aram has a big mouth_ , Liz thought as she folded her arms. "Yes, Ressler and Agnes and I are headed to New York to do some Christmas sightseeing."

Reddington nodded. Clearly, Aram had told him all of that already. "Well, I thought I'd bring you a little something for your trip." Reddington held out a bottle of wine. "I'm not sure what Donald has in mind but I figured a nice bottle of Chateau Latour might be just the thing after a long day of roaming the city."

"You came all the way over here to bring me a bottle of wine?" Liz asked warily.

"Not just any wine, Elizabeth. This one has a particularly nice bouquet. I hope you both enjoy it, and your trip." Reddington moved closer to the door. "I'm happy to see you making plans again," he added as he reached for the doorknob. "Goodnight, Elizabeth."

"Goodnight," she replied softly. "And thank you." As she closed the door behind him, she stared at the bottle of wine for a moment, remembering the first time Red had brought her wine. She'd shared that bottle with Ressler too and the memory brought a smile to her face. _Share it with someone special_ , Red had said. Ressler had been so thoughtful that night, surprising her with dinner for her birthday just when she'd been feeling at her lowest. _Just like he's thoughtful now, planning this whole trip_. Liz brought the wine into the bedroom and carefully cushioned it among the clothing in her suitcase before zipping the suitcase and setting it on the floor.

* * *

They picked up Agnes around noon the next day at preschool and Liz watched, bemused, as Ressler expertly strapped her into her booster seat in the back seat of the car.

"You've gotten good at that," she remarked.

Ressler arched an eyebrow. "It's not rocket science, Liz. Right, kiddo?" He wiggled both eyebrows and made a silly face that prompted Agnes to erupt into giggles.

"Right!" Agnes squealed as Ressler slid behind the wheel. Liz smiled at the two of them indulgently. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find that her partner had a much lighter, fun side that seemed to come out most often in the presence of her daughter. For her part, Agnes absolutely adored her "Uncle Donnie" and treated him both as jungle gym and clown whenever they were together. Agnes had been beside herself with excitement when she'd learned of their trip and she kept both Ressler and Liz entertained with her chatter for the first hour of their drive.

Eventually, her voice trailed off and Ressler glanced in the rear view mirror.

"Looks like she's conked," he said quietly so as not to wake her. Liz glanced over her shoulder and then reached for Agnes's small blanket that had fallen off her lap and tucked it around her.

"Good. She'll be much happier later if she gets a nap now," Liz replied. "And so will we."

Ressler chuckled. "No doubt," he replied.

"So you haven't told me – where are we staying? How did you find a hotel so late in the game?" Liz asked. The more she thought about it, the more she felt ridiculous for not having asked him about it sooner. She'd just assumed that somehow he had handled it.

"Not a hotel," Ressler replied. "A buddy of mine from the Academy left the Bureau a few years back and he lives in New York now. Works for some investment bank downtown. Anyway, he's got a place on the Upper West Side that's empty right now 'cause they've relocated him to Hong Kong for a year. He had a tenant but the guy moved out about a month ago and he hasn't found a new one yet. Place is fully furnished, two bedrooms, right near the park. He left the keys with the desk in the lobby for me when I called him. I figured it might be easier with Agnes if we had a kitchen and we don't have to eat out every single meal. Unless you want to, of course," he added. "I'm good either way. I probably should have told you about the kitchen so you could bring stuff for Agnes if you wanted to. I'm sorry. But he says there's a grocery store right down the block."

"No, that sounds perfect," Liz replied. "Really perfect. Thank you. And your friend," she added. _Two bedrooms. A kitchen._ She felt strangely relieved and disappointed all at the same time. _He wouldn't have invited Agnes if he had anything more in mind_ , she reminded herself _._

Ressler nodded. "So once we get there, it's all you. We'll do whatever you want. Whatever's on your wish list."

Liz smiled, "there has to be something on your wish list too," she replied. "It can't all be up to me."

"My wish list is making the two of you happy," Ressler replied. "How we do that doesn't matter to me. I'm game for anything."

Liz felt a rush of warmth as she looked at him. "Well, I know I want to see the tree, and the store windows, and all the lights on the buildings on Fifth Avenue, and of course the park – especially if we'll be close by it."

They continued chatting until eventually Liz felt her eye lids grow heavy. Her replies came more slowly until finally Ressler glanced over and saw she was sound asleep. His eyes flicked upward to the rear view mirror as he confirmed that Agnes was still asleep too. With a smile he gripped the steering wheel more tightly and focused his attention on the road ahead. He was more excited for the weekend than he wanted to admit.

* * *

They arrived in New York shortly before dinnertime. Ressler pulled the car up in front of the building and carefully lifted Agnes out of her car seat.

"You two wait for me in the lobby while I park the car, ok?" Ressler asked as he unloaded their suitcases.

Liz took the bags and Agnes's hand and led her into the festively decorated lobby of the apartment building. The man behind the desk glanced up as they entered and his smile broaded as he saw Agnes.

"Well aren't you a little princess. Who are you here to see?" he asked, beaming.

Liz couldn't help but return the smile. "My…partner is parking the car. We're staying in his friend's apartment?" She realized to her embarrassment she didn't even know the man's name. _And he's probably misconstruing partner_ , she thought.

The man at the desk nodded. "That's fine. We'll wait for him." He beckoned to Agnes. "Would you like to press the bell?" He pointed to a small bell on the desk. Agnes nodded solemnly.

"Go ahead," the man reassured her.

Agnes pressed the bell and a huge grin spread across her face just as Ressler walked through the door.

Liz's eye caught Ressler's as he glanced from Agnes to the doorman and took in the situation. After a moment they both burst out laughing.

"I guess you summoned me, Agnes," Ressler joked.

"Uncle Donnie!" Agnes exclaimed as she ran from behind the desk and wrapped her arms around his legs.

"Were staying in Matt Beck's apartment," Ressler told the doorman. The doorman nodded and fumbled behind the desk until he produced an envelope with Ressler's name. "19D – elevator's just to your right," the doorman replied as Ressler accepted the envelope.

Ressler couldn't help but notice that Agnes was very quiet as the elevator moved between floors. He crouched down in front of her. "You're not used to elevators are you?" Agnes shook her head solemnly as Liz stifled a smile. "Can I tell you a secret?" Ressler asked.

Agnes nodded, even more solemnly.

"Neither am I!" Ressler exclaimed just as the elevator stopped at their floor and the doors opened. He leaned forward with his arms extended. "After you," he said in an exaggerated way. He leaned down to Agnes conspiratorially. "Remind me to tell you about the time a girl beat me up in an elevator," he whispered, winking at Liz. Liz wasn't sure whether to laugh or roll her eyes, so she chose both.

When they arrived at the apartment, Ressler unlocked the door and stood back to let them enter. The combined living room, dining room were simply furnished with large windows. The small kitchen, to the right, had a counter with stools. Beyond the living room, three doors led to the two bedrooms and the hall bathroom. Agnes ran ahead of Liz, poking her head into each of the bedrooms.

"Where are Mommy and I going to sleep Uncle Donnie?" Agnes asked innocently. Liz flicked her eyes toward Ressler and flicked them away again just as quickly. She wasn't sure why she felt embarrassed by her daughter's question.

"Wherever you like, sweetie," Ressler replied as he followed her over to the two doorways. It didn't matter to him. He was enjoying the smile on her face too much to care.

"Here," Agnes pronounced. It was the smaller of the two bedrooms, but each had a queen sized bed and the one she chose had a fuzzy pillow on top of the bed.

"Good?" Ressler asked, looking at Liz.

"Good," Liz replied with a smile.

* * *

After they unpacked, they found a small Italian restaurant nearby where they shared dinner. By the end, Agnes looked like she might fall asleep at the table.

As they left the restaurant Ressler reached down and picked Agnes up and cradled her in his arms for the walk home. By the time they reached the building, Agnes was sound asleep on his shoulder.

Liz unlocked the door and Ressler carried Agnes into the room with the fuzzy pillow and gently deposited her on the bed. He left the room and retreated into the living room so Liz could get her into her pajamas. After a short while, Liz emerged.

"Thank you," she whispered as she quietly closed Agnes's door.

"For what?" Ressler asked.

Liz smiled. "For being so good with her," she replied.

Ressler nodded slightly. "She's a great kid, Liz. I love spending time with her." He patted the couch next to him. "So, tomorrow? What's the plan?"

They chatted for a while and agreed to a sightseeing plan. Eventually Liz stretched and got up. "I'm going to go join Agnes," she announced apologetically. "I really can't keep my eyes open."

Ressler paused for a moment. "Goodnight, Liz" he said softly.

Liz hesitated. Suddenly, there was a tension between them that hadn't been there before. Liz stared at Ressler for longer than she intended.

"Goodnight," she said simply before retreating to her room and closing the door. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes. _What's going on?_ she thought.

* * *

The next morning, Liz woke up to find Agnes gone from the bed beside her and the smell of food coming from the kitchen.

"What time did you wake up?" she exclaimed as she exited her room to find Agnes happily settled at the kitchen counter nibbling on a piece of crispy bacon.

Ressler shrugged. "I dunno. Earlier than you," he noted with a grin as he turned back to what appeared to be eggs in the skillet in front of him.

Liz settled herself on a stool next to Agnes. "And you went to the store, I see" she remarked. "How did you know what I like for breakfast?"

Ressler shrugged. "We've worked together for over six years, Keen. You talk."

Liz poked the plate of eggs with her fork. "Are there onions in here?" she asked.

"There are," Ressler replied warily. "You're not going to just tell me now that you don't like them, right?"

Liz laughed. "No. I love onions and cheese in my eggs. There's cheese in here too, right?"

"There is," Ressler replied, relieved.

* * *

After breakfast, they took the subway down to visit the huge Macy's store at Herald Square that spanned an entire city block. The windows were colorfully decorated like Santa's workshop. Agnes was mesmerized by the spinning figures in the displays.

"There's old wooden escalators in this store that are over 100 years old," Ressler remarked. "You want to check them out?"

Liz nodded and they stepped inside the store. The place was enormous. They headed up the modern escalators on the first floor floors until they reached the older ones.

"These look like they are right out of Miracle on 34th Street," Liz remarked as she stood and gazed at the clacking moving stairs.

"I'm scared of those stairs," Agnes whimpered as she stuck her lower lip out in a pout. Ressler crouched down in front of her and took her hands in his.

"Nothing to be scared about, sweetie. I got you." He took her firmly by the hand and led her over to the escalator and held her tightly as she stepped tentatively on board. Liz followed behind them and a slow smile spread across her face as she watched Agnes's face change from wary to happy by the time they were half way up. By the time they had gone three more floors, Agnes was running to the next set, pulling Ressler along with her.

After they were finished at Macy's, they walked over to Fifth Avenue to see the view from the top of the Empire State Building. Liz felt her ears pop in the elevator by the time they reached the 86th floor. They stepped outside on to the observation deck and Liz caught her breath as she saw the city spread out in front of her.

"All the times we've come to New York, I've never done this before," she breathed as she stood at the railing staring down at the city below. "It's so beautiful," she murmured.

Ressler lifted Agnes up into his arms so she too could enjoy the view.

"Look, Uncle Donnie! We're high up like birds!" Agnes exclaimed.

"Would you like me to take a picture of all of you?" a voice at Liz's elbow said. Liz turned and a friendly looking older woman was gesturing towards the three of them.

Liz opened her mouth and then closed it again. "Sure, why not?" she said finally as she handed her phone to the woman. Ressler held Agnes in one arm and wrapped his free one around Liz and pulled her close. The woman took several shots and then handed the phone back to Liz

"You have such a beautiful family, honey," the woman said. "You're very lucky." Once again, Liz felt her cheeks flush and she stammered a thank you as she looked anxiously at Ressler. He put Agnes down and put his arm around her shoulders.

"Hey – don't worry about what anyone thinks. You ok?" He rubbed his hand lightly up and down her arm. _He thinks I'm missing Tom_ , she realized. _But I'm not._

"I'm good. Great, actually. I think the only thing that would make this better would be hot chocolate," she said quickly as she smiled up at him. She couldn't help but notice that the tip of his nose and his cheeks were pink from the cold.

"Sounds good to me," Ressler replied.

* * *

As the afternoon wore on, they eventually made their way up Fifth Avenue towards Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree. Along the way, Ressler stopped and purchased a bag of roasted chestnuts and an enormous soft, hot pretzel from a street vendor for all of them to share. Agnes wasn't sure she liked the nuts but she was a huge fan of the pretzel. Liz loved both. Just the smell of the roasting chestnuts made her think of Christmas.

When they got to the skating rink, Ressler lifted Agnes on to his shoulders for a better view of the tree.

"Mommy, I want to skate! Can we? Please?" Agnes begged as she watched the skaters below.

Liz shook her head. "I don't know if I can do that, honey," she began. "You don't know even know how to skate." Liz had loved ice skating as a girl, but she was nervous about attempting it again after her head injury.

Ressler glanced from one to the other. "I can take her, if you want," he offered, sensing Liz's reluctance.

Liz looked up at him. "You know how to skate?" she asked. "Agnes has never been on skates. I think she's too young."

Ressler chuckled and shook his head. "Liz, I grew up in Michigan. I practically lived on skates as a kid in the winter. I played hockey all through high school. Yeah, I can skate. And she's the perfect age to try it if you'll let her."

"Please, Mommy? Can I go with Uncle Donnie?" Agnes pleaded.

Liz burst out laughing. "Look at the two of you, both with the pleading puppy dog eyes. Sure, go ahead. I'll take pictures."

Ressler took Agnes into the rental shop to procure skates and after a few minutes both emerged. She saw that Ressler had chosen hockey style skates for himself. Agnes's skates were the tiniest white skates Liz had ever seen. She watched as Ressler bent down and whispered some instructions to Agnes before stepping out on to the ice and carefully taking her hand in his. Agnes looked terrified at first as her feet slipped every which direction but after a few minutes she was moving them much more confidently, all while gripping Ressler's hand tightly. By the time they had made several loops around the rink, Liz was amazed to see Ressler let go of Agnes's hand and move in front of her. He skated backwards in an easy rhythm so he could keep an eye on her as she attempted to move her feet without his steadying hand. After a few steps, she fell and Liz expected to see tears but much to her surprise her daughter picked herself up and continued skating towards Ressler with a determined look on her face.

By the time a half hour had passed, Agnes was moving around the rink on her own power with ease, Ressler following beside her. Eventually, they took a break and came over to chat with Liz at the wall.

"I can't believe how well you're skating!" Liz exclaimed as Agnes approached. Agnes beamed. "You should come, Mommy! Come skate with us!"

Liz glanced at Ressler before glancing back at Agnes. "I'd love to, honey, but I'm not sure I'm steady enough to manage it. You two have fun. It's ok."

"She's right, you should join us," Ressler replied, to Liz's surprise. "I promise I won't let you fall," he added more seriously, sensing her concern.

Liz looked from Ressler to Agnes. They were both so eager for her to join them. She was nervous, but at the same time, she trusted Ressler not to let anything happen to her.

"Ok," she said finally. "Give me a minute to get the skates."

When she emerged from the rental booth, Ressler was waiting by the entrance to the ice. "Agnes is good on her own now," he said. "She doesn't need me to hold her. So you take my hand and I won't let you fall, ok?"

Liz took a deep breath and took his gloved hand. "Ok," she replied, more confidently than she felt.

The first tentative movements on the ice were terrifying and felt for a moment as if she might fall but Ressler's other arm immediately shot around her waist to steady her and after a moment's hesitation, she was able to move forward, slowly at first, and then more steadily as they moved around the rink.

"You're doing great, Liz," he reassured her as he squeezed her hand. Eventually, Agnes took his other free hand and they skated slowly around the rink, all three together. As Liz grew more comfortable, she was able to look around and soak in the atmosphere of the tree, the fountain and the music. She glanced up at Ressler and caught him staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

Ressler ducked his head shyly. "It's good to see you smile, that's all."

* * *

By the time they finished skating, it was dark and they decided to grab dinner close to the apartment so that they could get Agnes to bed right afterwards. That turned out to be a good move, as once again, she could barely keep her eyes open during dinner. As they left the restaurant, Ressler picked her up and carried her. By the time they'd walked two blocks she was sound asleep on his shoulder.

When they got back to the apartment, Liz took Agnes into their shared room and put her to bed. As she tucked the covers around her, she remembered Red's wine. She hesitated for a moment and then pulled the bottle out of her suitcase and took it into the living room.

Ressler was sitting on the couch, sipping a beer. He glanced up as she came into the room. "Agnes asleep?" he asked. Liz nodded. He caught sight of the wine in her hand. "What's that?"

"A gift. From Reddington." Liz held the bottle up. Ressler blinked, surprised.

"That was nice of him. What's the occasion?" he asked cautiously.

Liz sighed. "He thought we might enjoy it after a day of walking the city streets. And I have to admit, a glass of wine sounds nice right about now."

Ressler was already getting up off the couch and heading towards the kitchen. "He's right. Sit down. I'll bring us both a glass." He abandoned the beer bottle on the kitchen counter and rummaged in the cabinets until he emerged with two wine glasses. He uncorked the bottle and sniffed it.

"Reddington's got good taste in wine, I'll give him that." Ressler remarked.

"And this surprises you?" Liz laughed.

"No, but I'm not usually the beneficiary of his largess," Ressler replied with a smirk. He crossed the room and handed Liz her glass before settling himself back down on the couch next to her. He held out his own glass.

"A toast?" he asked. Liz nodded.

Ressler paused. "To seeing you smile again," he said softly.

"To having reasons to smile again," Liz whispered as she held his gaze for a moment before clinking her glass against his.

Liz felt a warm glow spread through her body as she sipped the wine and she leaned back against the couch cushions. "Everything was great about today except my feet are killing me," she laughed. "I haven't walked that much in ages, never mind skated."

Ressler put his glass down on the coffee table and patted his lap. "Put them up," he said.

Liz hesitated for a moment but then shifted position on the couch until her feet were resting in his lap. Ressler slowly began massaging her feet, rubbing slow circles across them with his thumb. Liz closed her eyes and gave herself over to the soothing movements of his hands as she slowly sipped her wine.

Eventually, she opened her eyes and caught Ressler watching her with an amused look on his face. "If you hadn't been sipping your wine with this silly smile on your face, I'd have thought you were asleep," he remarked. "You want more?" He gestured towards her glass which was now nearly empty. Liz glanced at his glass, which was also nearing empty. Somehow he'd managed to sip his as well even while massaging her feet.

"Sure," she replied. "And thank you – that was incredible." She curled her feet under her on the couch as Ressler made his way to the kitchen to retrieve the bottle of wine.

"Hidden talent," he remarked as he refilled both their glasses.

"Mmm," Liz agreed. "Not so hidden anymore. You better watch out."

Ressler eased himself back on to the couch and draped his arm over the back of it. Liz imagined curling up against him and resting her head on his flannel shirt. Feeling his arm around her. The thought both thrilled and terrified her. _What am I doing?_ she thought.

They sat in silence for a while, each sipping their wine, but there was an unmistakable tension between them with each of them hardly daring to meet the other's eyes.

"Today was fun," Ressler said eventually, breaking the silence. "It was fun watching Agnes on the skates."

Liz resolved her inner dilemma and set her glass down on the coffee table.

"It _was_ fun," she agreed. "You were fantastic with her as always, and carrying her when she got tired. Your shoulders must be tired." She propped herself up on her knees and pulled him gently so that his back was facing her. Slowly, she began to knead his neck and shoulder muscles, working her way across his back and up and down. She felt him catch his breath and smiled to herself. After a while, she slipped her hands under his shirt and continued rubbing his shoulders. His skin felt warm between her hands and she felt him shiver slightly as she grazed her fingernails down his back.

Eventually she stopped and Ressler turned to face her, his eyes hooded. "Thanks," he said softly. "Haven't had one of those in a long time."

"You're welcome," Liz whispered. _It's been a long time for both of_ us, she thought. _In more ways than one._ Barely thinking, she picked up one of his hands and traced her finger lightly across the top of it. She looked up to find Ressler staring at her intently, his expression unreadable. As her eyes met his, his face softened.

"Liz," he whispered as he took his hand and lightly caressed her cheek. Just as quickly, he seemed to have second thoughts and he started to pull away. Liz stopped by putting her hand over his and holding it against her face. Slowly, she leaned closer to him until their faces were only inches apart. She could smell the faint scent of his aftershave.

"Liz, what are we doing?" he asked huskily.

"You tell me. What's on _your_ wish list?" she asked softly as she leaned in closer until her forehead was resting against his. _Kiss me_ , she thought, willing him to do it. Her heart was pounding. She felt alive in ways she hadn't felt in a long time. She heard him inhale sharply.

In one movement, Ressler moved his hand from her face to the back of her head and pulled her close as he kissed her gently. His lips were softer than she'd imagined and she could taste the wine on them. He pulled back after a moment, his eyes scanning hers, waiting from some unspoken sign from her to continue. This time, she reached for him. Without breaking the kiss, she leaned back slowly on the couch, pulling him with her, until he was lying on top of her. She could feel his breathing quicken as their kiss deepened and she felt a warm glow all over.

They stayed like that for a while, slowly and tentatively exploring each other. Eventually, as his hands stroked her hair she moved her hips against him. _I want you_ , she thought, and she slowly began to undo the buttons of his shirt. She slipped off his shirt and stroked her fingers up and down his bare back. Ressler moaned softly as he moved his hips against her, letting her know that he wanted her too.

Liz reached down and began to unbuckle his belt. "Liz…" Ressler whispered as he put a hand on hers to halt her. "Are you sure about this? I…."

"Shhh," she replied, "yes."

"Then let's relocate," he murmured as he got up and extended his hand. Liz took his hand and followed him into his room.

* * *

Afterwards, Liz lay spooned in Ressler's arms, his breath warm on the back of her neck. In the moonlight streaming in through the open blinds, she could see the freckles on his arm and she traced them lightly with her finger.

"I never realized how many freckles you have," she said softly.

She could feel the rumble of his laughter against her back. "I'm happy to let you touch every single one," he replied contentedly as he hugged her closer. "I never imagined…" his voice trailed off.

"Never imagined what?" she asked.

Ressler ran his free hand up and down the curve of her hip. "When I suggested this trip, I never imagined…this," he said hesitantly.

Liz turned to face him and cupped his face with her hands. "I didn't either, at first, but – now I'm not sure what we've been waiting for?" She pulled his face closer to hers and kissed him again.

* * *

Liz woke before dawn to find herself still spooned in Ressler's arms. As much as she wanted to stay, she didn't really want Agnes to walk in on them, so she carefully extracted herself and crept quietly out of the room. She stopped in the bathroom and slipped into the pajamas she had left there the day before and then tiptoed into the room she was supposed to be sharing with Agnes. She was grateful to see that Agnes was still asleep and remained asleep as Liz slid into bed next to her.

Try as she would, Liz couldn't fall back asleep. She kept replaying the events of the night before in her mind. She wondered if Ressler was awake and, if so, what he was thinking. As the minutes past, she felt herself growing more and more nervous. _What if he regrets it_? She tossed and turned restlessly.

Ressler woke up almost as soon as Liz left the room as his body registered the loss of her warm body against his. He realized immediately why she had left, though at the same time he wished she hadn't. He got up and used the bathroom and slipped into a t-shirt and sweats before stretching out on the bed once more. He lay on his back with his arm behind his head, staring at the ceiling. The longer he lay there, the more doubt began to creep in. _Did she really leave because of Agnes? Or because she's having second thoughts_? He knew he needed to see her and put those doubts to rest.

Just as he swung his legs over the side of the bed to go find her, the door to his room opened. Liz stood in the doorway, her eyes scanning his face anxiously. Her hair was rumpled and her shirt was on backwards and in that moment, Ressler thought she had never looked more beautiful. He crossed the room in a few quick steps and took her in his arms. After a moment he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. Much to his relief, he saw only tenderness and he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers.

"I'm sorry I left. I was worried about Agnes coming in," Liz whispered as she clung to him. "But as soon as I did, I couldn't stand being alone."

"Shh, I understand," Ressler murmured as he stroked her hair. "I didn't want to be alone either."

"I'm tired of being alone," Liz said quietly. "Not just this morning, but…" she pulled back and took his hands. She didn't know quite how to express what she was feeling. "I feel…cherished when I'm with you. I didn't expect to ever feel that with anyone again. But it feels good."

Ressler smoothed her hair back from her face. "You _are_ cherished. And loved." Ressler replied in a low voice before he leaned in to kiss her once more.

* * *

Agnes woke up a short while later and they decided to head out to brunch and then go to Central Park so Agnes could play for a while before they started the long drive back to D.C.

As they walked the few short blocks to the park, Agnes took Liz's hand with her left and Ressler's with her right. "Swing me," she clamored. Ressler glanced at Liz and chuckled.

"Ok, sweetie. One, two…" he began

"THREE!" Agnes shrieked with joy as they swung her in between them. "Again, again!" she repeated.

When they arrived at the park, Agnes ran off to play on one of the playgrounds. Despite the cold, Liz and Ressler settled down on a park bench to watch her. Ressler wrapped his arm around Liz and pulled her close against him before taking her hand in his and stroking it gently.

"So, was Christmastime in New York everything you hoped it would be?" he asked softly as he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it.

Liz smiled up at him and she nestled closer in his embrace. "Better. I feel...happy."

"Me, too," Ressler replied as he leaned in to kiss her again.

Suddenly, two small hands patted their arms excitedly. "Mommy! Uncle Donnie! Look!" Liz blushed as she turned her attention to Agnes.

"What is it, sweetie?" she asked as Ressler ducked his head with a grin.

Much to their surprise, Agnes didn't seem in the least bit flustered by their kiss. Instead, she grabbed their sleeves and pointed up at the sky. "Look! It's snowing! It's snowing!" She clapped her hands joyfully.

Ressler pulled Agnes on to his lap and wrapped his other arm more tightly around Liz, hugging the two of them close as they watched the snowflakes swirl in the sky.

"Merry Christmas," he said quietly.


End file.
